How to Make the Text on Your iPhone Bigger

Remember squinting at the small print in the phone book, then finally giving in and reaching for the magnifying glass on the kitchen counter? Your phone has a magnifying glass built right in — except it's even better. You can make the words on the screen bigger, permanently, so you never have to squint at a text message or a recipe again.

It takes about thirty seconds to change, and you can change it back just as easily if you don't like it. Here's how.

Where to find the setting

On your iPhone, find the app called **Settings**. It has a gray icon that looks like a little gear or cog. Tap it once to open it.

Inside Settings, you'll see a long list. Scroll down with your finger until you see **Display & Brightness**. Tap that.

On the next screen, look for **Text Size** and tap it. You'll land on a screen with a slider — a thin line with a small dot on it, a bit like the volume slider on an old stereo.

Making the change

At the top of that screen, you'll see a sample sentence. That's your preview. Whatever size you choose, that's how text will look across your phone.

Put your finger on the dot and drag it slowly to the right. Watch the sample sentence get bigger as you go. Drag it to the left to make text smaller. There are seven steps along the slider, so try a few until something feels comfortable.

When you find a size you like, just press the **Home** button or swipe up from the bottom of the screen to leave Settings. There's no "Save" button — the phone remembers your choice automatically.

If you want it even bigger

The regular slider gives you seven sizes, but the iPhone can go larger still. Go back to **Settings**, then tap **Accessibility** (it's in the main Settings list, with a blue icon of a person inside a circle).

Tap **Display & Text Size**, then **Larger Text**. At the top of that screen, you'll see a switch labeled **Larger Accessibility Sizes**. Tap it once so it turns green. Now the slider at the bottom has extra steps on the right side — much bigger than before. Drag the dot until the sample sentence is as large as you'd like.

This bigger size works in most apps — Messages, Mail, Safari, your Notes — but a few apps may not cooperate. Most do.

One thing to try today

Open Settings, go to **Display & Brightness**, and tap **Text Size**. Move the slider just one or two notches to the right. Leave it there for the rest of the day and see how it feels.

If your eyes thank you, leave it alone. If it feels too big, nudge it back. There's no harm in experimenting — you can change it as many times as you like, and nothing else on your phone will be affected. Your photos, your contacts, your apps — everything stays exactly where it was. Only the words get easier to read.

Need a hand with your technology? We're here to help. Give PorchSwing a call or book an appointment, and we'll walk you through it at your own pace — no rush, no jargon.